Lobos Cash in with 50-14 win over UNLV
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The New Mexico Lobos poured it on in the second quarter, exploding for 29 points as the Lobos raced past UNLV in Las Vegas 50-14. The win moved UNM to 3-2 on the season and to 1-0 in the league as the Lobos will now head for another conference road tilt, this at Colorado State.
Both teams were missing its opening day quarterbacks, but UNM’s Sheriron Jones, who has played in every game this season, was stellar while UNM’s defense made life miserable for UNLV’s Max Gilliam. After a feeling out process in the opening quarter, UNM went to work, taking advantage of an Evahelotu Tohi interception of Gilliam that gave UNM the ball at the Rebel 14. On the first play of the second quarter, Zahneer Shuler scored from the 1-yard line to give UNM a 6-0 lead after the extra point was blocked.
That TD opened the floodgates as UNM’s defense forced three-and-outs and Jones made the Rebels pay. Tyrone Owens made it 12-0 with a 1-yard run, and Andrew Shelley made it 15-0 with a career-long 44-yard field goal. From then on it was all Sheriron Jones. First, he hit Elijah Lilly over the top for a 74-yard touchdown with 2:56 to go in the opening half, making it 22-0. UNM got the ball back with just 1:14 left, but Jones led a quick drive, gaining 25 yards with his feet and then hitting Anselem Umeh with a perfect pass in the end zone to make it 29-0 with just 17 seconds left in the half.
INSTANT HIGHLIGHTS: Watch highlights from @UNMLoboFB‘s 50-7 victory over @UNLVFootball #MWFB pic.twitter.com/J2g1CT1yBc
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) October 6, 2018
It was more Jones in the third quarter as on third down he found Emmanuel Harris for a 33-yard touchdown, and then in the fourth quarter after a punt, Jones recorded a fourth touchdown pass with a fade to Delane Hart-Johnson in the end zone. That followed a special teams miscue by UNLV as Tyson Dyer’s hit a Rebel in the back, and Dylan Horton fell on the ball for a fumble recovery.
The only blemishes were a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns on drives that were both extended by fourth down pass interference penalties. However, those were it for UNLV highlights as UNM’s defense was lights out.
The team recorded eight three-and-outs and UNLV didn’t cross the 100-yard mark until there was just 7:02 left in the fourth quarter. UNM’s defense recorded a season-high five sacks, including two by Cody Baker and a one by Rhashaun Epting, giving him 5.5 on the season.
UNM achieved near perfect balance offensively, with the Lobos rushing for 252 yards and passing for 250. UNM won the turnover battle 2-1, and converted both into touchdowns while UNLV couldn’t turn its one takeaway into points.
Postgame Notes: New Mexico 50, UNLV 14
This was the 24th meeting all-time between the two teams.
Series tied 12-12
UNLV leads 6-5 in Las Vegas
UNM leads 7-6 in Albuquerque
UNM has won one in a row
UNLV has won two in a row in Las Vegas
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: Anselem Umeh started for Delane Hart-Johnson at receiver. Marcus Williams at tight end didn’t start.
Defense: Stanley Barnwell, Jr. started at free safety instead of Bijon Parker.
*New Mexico’s captains were Aaron Jenkins, D’Angelo Ross, Aaron Blackwell and Evahelotu Tohi
*New Mexico lost the toss for the fourth time in five tries and received the opening kickoff.
*Blair Manly carried the New Mexico flag onto the field.
TEAM NOTES:
*New Mexico’s 29-point second quarter was the fourth-highest scoring quarter in school history, and it was the most points UNM has ever scored in a second quarter against an FBS school. UNM’s overall record was 38 points in the second quarter against Southern in the second quarter of Bob Davie’s first game as Lobo head coach.
*UNM limited UNLV to just 23 yards in the first half.
*New Mexico in its previous two games had five yards passing in both games combined. UNM surpassed that on its first completion, a nine-yard gain by Jay Griffin IV.
*New Mexico recorded a season-high five sacks.
*UNM had a quarterback throw for four touchdowns for the third time in five games. The other time UNM had more than one such game in a season was 1993.
*UNM’s 50 points were the most ever against UNLV. The Lobos previous best was 49 in a 49-21 win over UNLV on September 18, 1982.
*The 36-point win was UNM’s largest margin of victory in a conference game since beating San Diego State 70-7 on October 18, 2008. It was UNM’s largest margin of victory in a road conference game since beating UTEP in El Pao 56-7 on October 21, 1972.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
*Zahneer Shuler scored his first career touchdown to open the scoring and he scored again with 7:57 for
*Anselem Umeh’s touchdown catch was his second career touchdown and first since October 7, 2016.
*Elijah Lilly’s 74-yard touchdown reception was his longest career catch.
*Cody Baker recorded a career-high two sacks.
*Evahelotu Tohi’s interception was the ninth of the season for the Lobo defense, and his second of his career. It tied him for the team lead with Marcus Hayes.
*Andrew Shelley hit a career-long 43-yard field goal, keeping him perfect on the season.
*Emmanuel Harris recorded his first touchdown catch since 2016 against Nevada.
*Brandon Shook recorded his second career forced fumble and first career sack.
*Dylan Horton recovered a punt at the UNLV 11-yard line after the ball hit the back of a UNLV player. It was his first career fumble recovery.
*Sheriron Jones tied a career-high with four touchdown passes.
*Delane Hart-Johnson had a career-high six receptions.
*Trae Hall, a true freshman quarterback, made his debut on the final drive of the game.